Thu, 05/02/2013 - 12:50

Jay Hovdey: O'Neill waving Golden State flag in Kentucky Derby

Tom Keyser
“It’s an honor to be the solo surviving California participant this year,” trainer Doug O’Neill said of bringing Goldencents to the Kentucky Derby.

Unless you bleed Celtics green or lean toward tattoos in a pinstripe pattern, you’re probably like most sports fans who react badly to a dynasty. They’re like strikeouts in baseball. And strikeouts, as defined by Crash Davis in “Bull Durham,” are boring. “Besides that,” Crash added, “they’re fascist.”

Thu, 05/02/2013 - 12:41

Kentucky Derby: Even 50-1 shots on morning line have some hope

Barbara D. Livingston
Black Onyx is among six horses listed at 50-1 on the track's morning line for the Kentucky Derby.

Out of respect to the connections, if nothing else, the highest that Churchill linemaker Mike Battaglia will list a horse on his Derby line is 50-1. There are six such horses in this renewal: Black Onyx, Golden Soul, Giant Finish, Falling Sky, Frac Daddy, and the lone also-eligible, Fear the Kitten.

[2013 KENTUCKY DERBY: Get PPs, contender profiles, live updates]

Thu, 05/02/2013 - 12:31

Kentucky Derby: Sale horses far outnumber homebreds in field

Barbara D. Livingston
Will Take Charge, a 20-1 choice for the Kentucky Derby, sold to owner Willis Horton for $425,000 at the 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale.

For most of the horses in this year’s Kentucky Derby field, the road to the starting gate went through the auction ring, and often at a fairly modest price.

Fourteen of the 21 horses entered in the 2013 Derby, including the also-eligible Fear the Kitten, were sold at least once at public auction, with prices ranging from $5,500 to $425,000, proving once again that a classic horse can come from anywhere in the sale book.

Thu, 05/02/2013 - 12:25

Churchill Downs: Woodford Reserve a fair fight for Wise Dan, Point of Entry

Barbara D. Livingston
Point of Entry started his year winning the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap over 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – As warm-up acts go, they don’t come any better than the race preceding the Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs – the Grade 1, $500,000 Woodford Reserve, a race that drew reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan and Point of Entry, a four-time Grade 1 winner on turf.

The Woodford Reserve could not be run at a fairer distance for this duo. The 1 1/8 miles of the Woodford on the Matt Winn turf course is the farthest Wise Dan has ever raced, and the minimum distance Point of Entry runs effectively.

Thu, 05/02/2013 - 12:21

Kentucky Derby: Future Wager overlays include Mylute, Goldencents

Barbara D. Livingston
Those who bought Future Wager tickets on Goldencents in any of three pools offered are looking at attractive odds compared with what he is likely to go off in Saturday's Derby.

The whole point of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager is to give bettors a chance to get some value out of being ahead of the proverbial curve. So now here it is, Derby Day, and some futures players are sitting in a better spot than others.

[2013 KENTUCKY DERBY: Get PPs, contender profiles, live updates]

Thu, 05/02/2013 - 12:09

Emerald Downs: Krigger gives fans rooting interest in Kentucky Derby

AUBURN, Wash. – Emerald Downs will celebrate Kentucky Derby Day with a special 1 p.m. Pacific post time on Saturday, a nine-race card, and a host of bells and whistles that make it one of the most festive days of the meeting.

As it turns out, an Emerald-based horse very nearly landed a starting berth at Churchill Downs. Mark Dedomenico’s 3-year-old Carving, purchased privately over the winter, was No. 22 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leader board and needed at least two defections to get into the field of 20.

Thu, 05/02/2013 - 11:44

Kentucky Derby: Normandy Invasion runs off during Thursday training

Barbara D. Livingston
Exercise rider Javier Herrera tries to restrain Normandy Invasion, who went quicker than planned on Thursday morning.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – What was scheduled to be an easy day for Normandy Invasion turned a little more eventful when the Kentucky Derby candidate ran off with his exercise rider Javier Herrera during his morning gallop at Churchill Downs.

Thu, 05/02/2013 - 11:43

Kentucky Derby: Vyjack follows script that worked for Big Brown

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Rudy Rodriguez said having Vyjack blow out three furlongs is similar to what Big Brown did before he won the Kentucky Derby in 2008.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Vyjack blew out three furlongs in 37.13 seconds under his trainer Rudy Rodriguez on Thursday in his final preparation for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.

[2013 KENTUCKY DERBY: Get PPs, contender profiles, live updates]

“Just to sharpen him up a little bit. We don’t want to overdo it, but we want him to blow-out a little bit, open his lungs a little bit,” Rodriguez said.

Wed, 05/01/2013 - 18:49

Kentucky Derby: Verrazano tries to buck history

Barbara D. Livingston
Verrazano, putting in his penultimate Kentucky Derby work at Churchill Downs, will try to become the first horse to win the Derby without racing at 2 since Apollo in 1882.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In 1882, Jesse James was killed, false teeth and the electric iron were patented, Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” opened in Moscow, and Apollo won the Kentucky Derby without having raced at age 2.

A lot has happened in the 130 years since, especially in regards to dental care. But no horse since Apollo has been able to win the Derby without racing as a 2-year-old, something Verrazano will be trying to accomplish on Saturday in the 139th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

Wed, 05/01/2013 - 18:01

Kentucky Derby: Orb favorite from post 16; Verrazano to break from 14

Barbara D. Livingston
Florida Derby winner Orb, above, was made the 7-2 morning-line favorite for the Kentucky Derby over the undefeated Verrazano.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Florida Derby winner Orb drew post 16 and was pegged as the 7-2 morning-line favorite as the field for the 139th Kentucky Derby was finalized Wednesday evening at Churchill Downs.